Can 16 Year Old in South Carolina Emancipate Herself with a Baby?

My question involves emancipation laws for the State of: My daughter has a 1 year old and has left home. I have the baby but she tried to file kidnapping charges on me because she was told she was emancipated.Needless to say the cops came and I have reported her as a run away. She is involved with individuals that have gang involvement and was just part of a shoot out/stabbing where she had my grand daughter. My grand daughter was dropped in the middle of this incident and had to go to the E/R. At what age can my daughter be legally emancipated with a baby in the state of South Carolina? Can I file abandonment charges on her? If an adult knows she has run away and hides her can I file kidnapping charges?

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It is my understanding that South Carolina does not have an emancipation statute. Even if it did the chances of a teen who already has child being granted emancipation status are less than a snowballs chance in Hell!

Not to mention a criminal record.

By the way where is the Father and how old is he?

There is ZERO chance that she will be emancipated. Your better course of action is to:


1) Contact your local child protective services office. They should have already been informed of this incident, but better to be safe than sorry. Someone needs to formally and legally step in ASAP to protect your grandchild from this mother. You can find your local contact at:

http://www.state.sc.us/dss/counties.html

2) If you are willing to raise the child, check with your county courthouse - the probate division - and apply to become the legal guardian for this child.

If you wish to do so, I would suggest initiating guardianship proceedings over your grandchild as aardvarc suggests. Here's an overview of guardianship law in South Carolina.